The fight against crime in Bermuda looks set to be boosted when the Cayman Islands sets up a hi-tech science laboratory.

Edna Moyle, Speaker of the Cayman Islands? legislative assembly, said her country was now establishing a full-service forensic laboratory to handle crime scene evidence. ?We have offered to open this service to sister territories and other regional interests that do not yet have such a capability,? she told dignitaries at the Speaker?s Dinner at the Fairmont Southampton on Saturday night.

Bermuda currently sends evidence to Canada for DNA testing ahead of major criminal trials. However, the option of flying samples over to Cayman could be a boost for Police.

A Cayman Government web site said that the state-of-the-art science site would be a ?full-fledged DNA laboratory?, headed by a Canadian expert. It said that the lab would eventually move into full forensic DNA analysis, eliminating the need for expensive overseas experts as local staff would be able to give evidence in court trials.

Mrs. Moyle gave few details about the new service but said opening up the lab service to neighbouring territories, along with sharing ideas on best means of tackling crime, were some of the ways Bermuda and Cayman could work together more closely. The MP said that the collaboration had already started with an exchange of visits by the countries? leaders.

The ability to exchange ideas was of ?colossal importance? to smaller states, the Cayman speaker added.

Proposing that a working group be formed to look at closer co-operation between smaller countries, she added: ?The accumulated reservoir of experience from among the overseas territories and even beyond our borders, taking in some of the larger countries in the region, would be a formidable resource.

?Certainly, when I have a burning issue in the Cayman Islands, I have no recourse but to turn to the United Kingdom ? and as you know that is often not the most satisfactory resource.?

The MP, a mother-of-five, continued: ?We must join forces so we benefit from each other?s experience.?

Mrs. Moyle also said that Bermuda?s neighbours would be looking at how the Island dealt with the issue of Government backbencher Ren?e Webb?s failed gay rights bill.

She said that she was aware that the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Stanley Lowe, might be asked by Ms Webb to waive parliamentary rules and re-table the defeated bill in a few weeks.

?Regardless of the substance of this bill and how you actually resolve this, what is interesting to me is that were this to follow the suggested path, by the time this matter has been resolved you will have created a precedent.

?And this precedent will be useful not only for how the Bermuda legislature will deal with this in the future, but one on which the rest of the overseas territories could draw in making their own decisions in similar situations.?

Introducing Mrs. Moyle, Premier Alex Scott told dignitaries that Bermuda and Cayman may be international business rivals, but they had many things in common.